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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26205724">Shine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeChatRouge673/pseuds/LeChatRouge673'>LeChatRouge673</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Thea's Song [34]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Modern AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:01:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>808</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26205724</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeChatRouge673/pseuds/LeChatRouge673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompted fic requested by @queen-kass-the-writer on Tumblr.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Thea's Song [34]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/890931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>The event hall of the Seaview Hotel had, not been ‘transformed’ exactly, but certainly made a little less austere and a bit more colorful with the trailing streamers and herds of balloons put up by the student dance committee. Cataline did not envy the cleaning crew of the venue with all the glitter that was being shed from the gowns worn by many of the students at Highever’s prom. Her own dress was a soft, flowing gown in a flattering shade of lilac that brought out her eyes. It left her shoulders bare, though the long waves of her ginger hair still covered most of her back. Thea had done her makeup for her, and had done a good job of it too. Cat had liked what she had seen in the mirror.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She had liked what she had seen in Nathaniel’s eyes even more. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Cat had been over the moons happy when he had asked her if she would like him to go with her. He was not technically a student anymore, but she had been able to get special permission to have him accompany her. She was still not certain if it had been his own idea, or if his best friend had nudged him towards it, but given the results she didn’t care. Even standing in the middle of a room full of giggling teenagers, exasperated chaperones, and the steady bass of whatever pop song the DJ had spun up, she felt as if she and Nate were the only two people in the room.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They were dancing together, although whether the slow rotations they were completing could really be called dancing was up for debate, but that did not matter. What mattered was the way she felt in his arms; the way he would lean his forehead against hers and whisper something to her that would make her smile or laugh or just make her heart skip a beat. This night was exactly what she had always dreamed of it being, save for one small detail.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She still had not admitted to Nathaniel how she felt about him. She still had not admitted that she was head over heels in love with him. And when this night, perfect as it was, was over, it would be over. She would still see him, of course: summer holiday was right around the corner, and Nate had already promised he would be spending it in Highever with her family, and then in the fall they would both be at University of Denerim. But it would be as friends. Nothing more.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You alright, Cat?” He asked, his words soft even despite the volume of the rock ballad they were currently slow dancing to.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She nodded, managing a smile as she looked up at him. “Yeah. Just thinking about this summer.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Nathaniel smiled back at her. “I am already counting days,” he informed her, and Cat could swear his arm tightened just slightly around her waist. “University is great, but it is no substitute for spending time with my two favorite people in the world.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Cat’s heart skipped a beat at that. She knew her younger cousin, Thea, was Nathaniel’s best friend, but it warmed her heart to know Nathaniel cared about her just as much. It was not… it was not quite what she wanted. What she dreamed of. But for now…</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For now it was enough.</em>
</p>
<p>—————————————————————————————————-</p>
<p>“I haven’t heard this song in years.”</p>
<p>Cat laughed softly, pressing a kiss to her husband’s cheek. “I’m not surprised. It came out when I was in high school.”</p>
<p>They were at The Hanged Man, just like they usually were on a Saturday night.It was a fairly quiet evening; it had been a remarkably warm and mild springday, and most of the bar’s patrons were outside on the patio enjoying theweather. Only a handful of people remained in the bar proper, including hercousin and cousin-in-law. Based on how… distracted… the other two were,however, she suspected Thea and Loghain would be heading home soon themselves.</p>
<p>“I remember,” Nathaniel spoke quietly, standing up and offering her his hand. Cat accepted it, a smile lighting up her face. “We danced to this song at your senior prom, didn’t we?”</p>
<p>She laughed, arching up onto her toes and brushing her lips against his. “We did,” she murmured against his cheek, letting her body sink against his as he held her close and they began slowly swaying to the song. “That was one of the best nights of my teenage years.”</p>
<p>Nathaniel was quiet for a moment, then tilted her chin up so that she could see his smile. “Me too, Wildflower. I love you.”</p>
<p>Cat breathed a soft sigh of contentment, letting her head fall against his shoulder as they danced and the rest of the world faded away.</p>
<p>“I love you, too.”</p>
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